


Running From Home

by ElGoodo



Category: Neon Genesis Evangelion
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:07:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28426758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElGoodo/pseuds/ElGoodo
Summary: Shinji finds peace in his surrogate mother, and Folk music.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 1





	1. A Gift

Misato walked down the large main entrance of a shopping center and eyed the store in question, a locally owned music store. At first it had shocked Misato to hear that Shinji was interested in picking up the guitar, when she had asked him what he wanted for his 15th birthday, any sort of instrument was the last thing on her mind. “Doesn’t he always say he sucks at cello,” she asked herself “what makes a guitar any different?” What Misato didn’t know was how he first found himself with the instrument.

Years before Shinji had moved to Tokyo-3, he lived with his Teacher and his wife. They were a couple that to say the least, had very little interest in the boy, the teacher only took him in as he was interested in the pay he received from Gendo. His wife tried to at least interact with the boy, but pressure from her husband usually kept her from doing so. The teacher, tired of seeing the boy do nothing after school, decided it was his duty as a guardian to make the boy talented in order to gain Gendo’s approval, this led to the teacher buying Shinji a classical guitar, with the intention of him learning to play classical music, however this didn’t work out very well, and though Shinji was a fine guitar player, it was Folk music that caught his fancy, not Classical. Because of this the teacher sold the guitar and forced Shinji to learn cello, since there was no real way to change the perception around cello, Shinji learned Classical music. This had no effect on Gendo, but before the teacher could figure out another way to earn an effect on him, Gendo sent a letter asking for Shinji to be sent to Tokyo-3.

Misato walked into the store, she approached the clerk, “Hi, welcome to Sampson’s, how may I help?” Misato paused for a moment, “Uh, yes, well my son he’s wanting to get into guitar, you see, and I was wondering what would be right for him?” Misato thought “Shinji isn’t here, so he’s not gonna know that I called him my son right? Ahh, I’m just being paranoid.” The clerk led Misato over to a wall of low-end acoustic guitars before picking one up off the wall with the name “Silvertone” printed on the headstock, “This one’s not too expensive,” he said, “but it’s a beautiful sounding instrument. Not to mention the smaller size makes it easier for new players to figure out and take with them.” Misato looked at it for a minute, “It’s his birthday though,” she thought to herself, “I’d feel bad if I just cheaped out on the stuff.” She spoke, “Um, is there anything else I can get with it? It’s his birthday so I’d feel bad if I just got him one thing.” The man rubbed his chin for a minute, “Well I guess we do have our recording beginners kit.” he pointed over to a stand that showcased a four track cassette mixer, a set of headphones, and a microphone “If you get that all included it’s about 50,000 yen, 70,000 with the guitar included.” Misato thought for a moment before raising a thumb and saying “Alright, I’ll take it!” “Well okay!” the man replied, “Come on, I’ll go ring this all up for you.”

Shinji was in his room counting his blessings when Asuka revealed that indeed, they wouldn’t be having a party for his birthday, “It’s not that I don’t like Touji, Kensuke, or Hikari, it’s just that, well, if there’s anything I’d want this year, it’s for things to just be peaceful.” Shinji then heard the doorbell and rose to answer before Asuka yelled, “Don’t worry I’ll get it!” “That’s odd,” Shinji thought, “usually Asuka could be right next to the door and still make me get it.” Shinji facepalmed when he realized, “Oh of course stupid me wouldn’t think that Misato of all people would want to keep my birthday a surprise!” Later, Misato called Shinji into the room, when he entered, he looked around and saw a cheerful Misato, and a bored looking Asuka standing next to two big boxes, one wrapped and the other unwrapped. Misato pointed to the unwrapped one, “I didn’t bother wrapping this one cause I figured you didn’t need to guess what it was.” Shinji walked over to the box, and opened it, inside lay the guitar Misato had gotten from her trip, and what Shinji had been asking for all this time. He picked it up gently, got up, and sat down in a chair before plucking the strings “Hmm out of tune.” He murmured to himself, but Misato wasn’t done just yet. “Before you get to that Shinji, I want you to open up this one, this is the surprise one I got for you.” Shinji walked to it curiously, before tearing the wrapping paper, starting off very cautiously, “Cmon!” Misato cheerfully yelled to him, “It’s wrapping paper, just rip it!” Shinji laughed and then ripped the wrapping paper off, revealing the recording equipment Misato had bought, Shinji’s eyes lit up, he turned to Misato “Wow Misato! You didn’t have to do all this!” Misato gave him a warm smile “You work hard at NERV and school, but most of all you gave me a home Shinji, how could I not show how much you mean to me.” Shinji paused, his eyes began to shake, and eventually tears fell down his face, he stood up wiping the tears from his eyes. Asuka was about to yell at him about “being a man” and what not, but quickly stopped as she watched Misato walk over and wrap her arms around the boy, laying her head on top of his, as she let him cry against her. Misato smiled “In all this time,” she thought to herself “I hadn’t even thought about whether or not anybody had done this for him before.”

That night, Misato and Asuka were in bed, Asuka had been asleep for a while, but Misato still hadn’t yet gone to bed, she was just about to doze off when she heard a sound, and then sounds after that, before she asked herself “Is that Shinji?” Indeed it was, Shinji was in his room with the little cassette mixer and a microphone, recording to it a song he had titled “Ayanami.” Misato stood up, and slid her door open, she quietly stepped over to Shinji’s room and listened in, she had come just in time for him to sing.  
Misato walked quietly back to bed, and went to sleep.


	2. River Man

It became a common occurrence every morning in the Katsuragi household to hear Shinji’s playing, soft finger-picking which would ring throughout the house, resonating through the heads of anybody near his room. Misato was delighted, feeling proud of herself for picking out a great gift for him, but then worried, “How the hell am I gonna top that next year?” 

Shinji was recording a song, “It’s not like I’m not gonna be an artist or something,” he said to himself, “I just wanna be able to remember these.” He continued playing, completely losing himself and not hearing Asuka calling on him to make lunch. “Damn it what’s he doing in there?” She asked, “He’s been going at it with that thing 24/7 ever since you bought him it.” Misato looked down the hall, “Now c'mon Asuka, just let him have his fun. Don’t forget that when we first met him he had little-to-no interest in any sort of hobby, you should be happy for him.” Asuka turned to Misato “I am, it’s just that there’s other things going on, and it’s not good that he’s focusing all his time on it.” Misato was facing Asuka now, “Asuka I know you’re concerned, but I’ve noticed only good things coming out of this, and until bad things start, I’ll keep my same point, I’d rather him be the way he is now, than how he was when I met him.” 

It was about an hour later when Shinji finally stepped out, “Misato,” he called “Kensuke and Toji want me to hang out with them, is that alright?” Silence. Then Misato yelled back “Yeah, that’s fine.” Deep down she was sad to see him go, she always was, she felt like Shinji was one of the few people she could rely on to always be there, “But,” she said, “he’s also 15, he needs to get out and be with his friends.”

Shinji ran, guitar thrown over his shoulder, down the stairs of their apartment complex, and turned around to a set of stairs which went down to a grassy tree coated road, following along the road he eventually came to a creek where he found Kensuke and Toji fishing. Shinji sat next to them “What are you guys up to?” “Shh!” Kensuke cut him off “We’re trying to catch some carp man!” Shinji laughed “With some cheap sticks for rods?” Toji then laughed “We’d like to see you do better! Why don’t you play us something while we fish music man?” Shinji laughed and started playing something on his guitar, a four chord piece which despite its simplicity managed to catch Toji’s attention. “You know man, you ought to play in front of people more,” he said “I’m sure if you found the right group they’d eat you up.” Shinji shrugged “I guess I’ve never really thought of there being a folk scene here, y’know?” “Yea, we know it seems like we got nothing here,” Kensuke said, “but have you been out to the countryside? Now that’s nothing!” Toji turned to Shinji, “There’s a place up the road from that ramen joint Misato’s always taking you guys to, seems like a real bunch of folky nut-jobs are always up in there, it’d be perfect.” 

A couple nights later Misato and Asuka sat in the back of a restaurant, the place didn’t seem to have a name, but people still came. It wasn’t even remotely packed, but it still had a sizable crowd. Then out Shinji came, that tiny acoustic in his hand, and a notebook full of lyrics in the other. He walked out to little fanfare, but the minute he sat down and began to play, the crowd locked their eyes on him. Song after song, his set mesmerized the crowd, the soft fingerpicking which had only really made its way to the ears of Misato and Asuka had now made it to that whole room, and the crowd was enamored, and when Shinji finished he was met with applause across the room. Not knowing how to reply, Shinji awkwardly waved and walked off-stage. The good news came later that night when the owner of the restaurant wanted Shinji to play that coming Friday, on a night that was sure to be packed.

After a while the night in question came, and there Misato and Asuka were again, in that same restaurant, but Misato was worried, “Asuka,” she said, “I’m worried. This place is pretty loud and Shinji’s music is quiet, I’m afraid the owner’s gonna have to calm them down.” But it went way worse, Shinji’s playing was completely inaudible over the drunken ramblings of a Friday night crowd, and Shinji’s songs often had different tunings, which meant he was often victim to the crowd yelling for him to start playing, and on top of all that Shinji was too shy to tell them to be quiet. By the end of it, he walked out. Misato and Asuka followed him outside to the back of the restaurant, only to find him bawling his eyes out. Misato sat next to him and wrapped her arms around him, laying her head on top of his, “It’s okay, we’ll just have to stick to Mondays, people seem to be calmer on those days.” Shinji suppressed a sniffle “I j-just don’t know Misato, maybe I should just stick to staying at home.” It was then that two women approached, “Excuse me,” one knelt to Shinji, “are you Shinji Ikari?” Shinji wiped his eyes and tried to fix himself up “Yes.” he answered. The woman continued “Well, we're holding a folk music festival, and we're wondering if you’d want to perform?” Shinji turned to Misato and Asuka who only nodded “Alright then I guess I will.” he said. “Alright great!” the other woman said “We’re always looking for more talent,” she handed him a card “call us so that we can talk about the arrangements.”

Shinji couldn’t ever make out what Misato was saying when she talked to those women, all he could ever hear were light mumblings about “drunks” and “overbearing”. But from what he knew the festival would be tomorrow, and he would be performing in front of a couple hundred people. He knew Rei, Hikari, Toji, and Kensuke would be there along with Misato and Asuka. He just didn’t know what to think about it all. He wasn’t even nervous, he was just unsure. But He knew it would come either way. Then Misato walked into his room. She put her hand on her arm and squeezed it lightly “Shinji, I just want you to know that no matter what happens, I still love you, and you’re always gonna be special to me. Okay?” Shinji looked back “I love you too, and yeah, I know, I’m just unsure what to think about this whole situation, you know?” Misato sighed “Yeah, I know it’s crazy, but I’ve talked to those ladies, and they’ve assured me that there’s gonna be no issues with people being too loud.” “Alright, that makes me feel better,” Shinji said, “Good night Misato.” Misato leaned in and kissed Shinji on the forehead, “Goodnight sweetie.”

There Shinji was. The sky, followed by the trees, and finally followed by hundreds of people. Without thinking, on complete muscle memory, Shinji broke out into his same soft fingerpicking style, and the same lyrics which had caught those people’s attentions weeks before, and the crowd applauded every time he finished, and every time he said the name of the next song, it was breathtaking to him, the people really loved his music. He was able to tune without yelling from the crowd, and was able to sing without getting over-talked by them. But at the same time, he hated it. He hated the space, the pressure, and the anxiety in him was building up every time he started a new song, he didn’t want to be up there on stage. He wanted to be at home recording, but he didn’t let those thoughts get to him, and he finished the set, and relished in the crowd's applause.

Shinji walked off the small stage and was met with Misato and the rest of his friends coming to congratulate him, Misato and strangely enough Toji came and attacked him with a hug, while Asuka, and Hikari gave him words of praise. While all this was going on, a man watched on, as he wrote down in his notepad “Misato Katsuragi”.

Misato was about to go to bed when the phone rang, she promptly answered it and was greeted with a young sounding man on the other end. “Hello? Is this Ms. Katsuragi?” He asked, “Yes this is.” she replied. “And I assume you’re the mother of Shinji Ikari, no?” “That’s true.” She answered “There’s nothing wrong with me telling him that right?” She thought. “Well mam, my name's Haruomi Sato, I wanted to know if you’d be interested in signing your son a recording contract.” Misato gasped, “Wait, what?” The man laughed “Yes mam, Tokyo3 Music Group recently started a division for smaller more underground artists, and we would like to know if Shinji would like to be a part of it?”


End file.
